Hanabira Otaki
by Kabocha Chiisai
Summary: Nuriko is still hopelessly in love with Hotohori, but someone's been watching him from afar. When he performs a spell and wishes for love, it comes from somewhere unexpected.


AN: I haven't watched FY in forever, so I've completely forgotten how Hotohori talks. I had him say something else, but was informed quite emphatically by a friend that he would definitely NOT say that. Hopefully this will fly a bit better. Also, do you know how hard it is to write in drunk-speak? Especially TASUKI drunk-speak? I wrote this without spellcheck or a grammarcheck, so if you find anything, weird, kindly point it out and I'll fix it. Arigatou .

Sadly, I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. If I did, I'd be one happy panda.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. In fact, reviews miraculously make me write faster .

* * *

**Hanabira Otaki**

-Chapter One-

* * *

The sky rumbled ominously as dark clouds began piling atop the distant mountaintops. A swift crack and a flash signalled a lightning strike not far from the raised pavilion in which Nuriko stood. He shivered in the cooling air and wrapped the folds of his kimono closer together, trying to preserve warmth. The increasingly stronger winds whipped at him, fluttering his clothing and teasing the ends of his hair so that they obscured his vision.

He ungripped his hands from a fold of cloth to push the lavendar strands from his face, wanting to see the brewing storm in all its glory. He loved days like this, when the sky turned dark and the sun was hidden behind angry grey clouds. He was drawn to the electricity in the air, the barely suppressed feeling of something happening. The mystery of it, the magic of it, and the raw sensuality of the oppressive and humid atmosphere. It was a day when anything could happen.

"What will happen today?" he whispered to the wind, closing his eyes and hoping beyond hope that his dreams would finally come true. In his left hand, he held a small handful of dried flower petals, specially selected and blessed by a travelling monk just the week before. With his fisted hand over his heart he spoke to the whipping gusts of air. "Please. Please let me find love." With that, he opened his eyes, withdrew his hand from his chest and opened his fingers to release the petals into a fierce slice of wind. He watched as they were whirled away from him out of sight. Nuriko closed his eyes again, fighting back a surge of depair, and clutched ever more desperately to the edges of the silk cloth.

As he stood in the pavilion, the winds growing more aggressive, his legs encased in whipping cloth, his hair flying out in the powerful gusts, Tasuki watched him from far below. The platform in which Nuriko was standing was situated atop part of a mountain ledge, giving the slender Seishi the aura of a heavenly sprite, the winds making him seem even more ethereal and not of this plane. Tasuki stared at him, his mouth going dry and his stomach sinking.

"Beautiful," he whispered softly, a gust of wind tearing the word from his lips and sending it spiralling through the air. An ache in the region of his heart joined the deep-rooted ache in his stomach, and he shivered, though not from the cold. How long had he secretly admired the other Seishi? It seemed as if he had known this bittersweet unrequited love for as long as he had known the man.

He stood staring at the Seishi standing far beyond his reach with intense longing in his eyes before quickly tearing his gaze from the kimono-clad figure. He turned stiffly, as if the motion physically hurt him, and strode purposefully inside the palace, heading directly to his rooms where he knew a bottle of sake and a cold, lonely night waited for him.

Atop the pavilion, Nuriko felt a strange wave flow through him. "It's working," he thought excitedly, "I can feel it!" He felt a chill race up his spine and shuddered. Stepping out from underneath the structure's protective roof, he gazed directly up into the very belly of the churning clouds. The first tentative raindrop splashed with a fat plop on his upturned face, and he blinked in surprise. Feeling the beginnings of a downpour, Nuriko quicky gathered his kimono together and rushed elegantly back down the mountainside, almost tripping on his kid slippers as he raced the rain back to the palace.

Laughing at himself, he finally reached the protective overhang of the palace walkway, and smoothed down the silks wrapped around him. Leaving his hair loose, he sedately made his way back to his apartments. On impulse, he decided to walk by the imperial suite to see if Hotohori was busy; the young emperor had been locked in his conference rooms all week due to some conflict on the border of his empire, and Nuriko thought he might be ready for a break. Smiling to himself, he inwardly giggled and desperately hoped the spell had taken hold and he would be able to see some kind of change in Hotohori's attitude towards him.

As Nuriko neared the royal apartments, he heard quick footsteps and familiar mumbling heading towards him. Hotohori turned the near corner, coming into view, and Nuriko took his chance, not noticing how distracted the emperor seemed.

"Oh, Hotohori-sama! I was just looking for you. I --"

"Not now, Nuriko. I don't have time for you," Hotohori said with a frown, clearly distracted. "I've got meetings to attend and reports to read. I'm simply in too much of a hurry." He looked over to the other man, finally actually noticing him. His expression softened. "Perhaps one of the others would be a better companion; Tasuki maybe? I'm just too swamped, I'm sorry."

Crestfallen, Nuriko simply nodded and glided out of the other man's way. He glanced up at the dark, churning sky and sighed. "So much for a change. Today looks just like any other day. Another chance to drink my problems away. Damn shame it never works." He turned away and decided he would seek out Tasuki; maybe his fiery friend could snap him out of his funk, or at the very least be a drinking buddy.

He slipped down the corridors, silently treading upon thick carpet, until he reached the door of Tasuki's room. Neglecting to knock, he shoved open the door and slammed it behind him, searching the room for his friend. He spotted Tasuki on the floor, leaning against the side of his bed, shirtless and slightly bedraggled with a half-empty sake bottle in his hand.

"Looks like you got started without me," he commented as he stepped further into the room.

Tasuki blinked twice to bring Nuriko into focus. "Wash you doin' here, Nur'ko?" he slurred.

"Planning on getting plowed. You gonna share?"

Grinning like an idiot, he held up the half-empty bottle in his hand, "Sure, bu' we're gon' need schommore if we're gon' get reeeeeeeaaaal drunk."

"Sounds like you're already halfway there," Nuriko pointed out, raising and eyebrow.

"Nah, on'l like a quat'r ah th' way." Tasuki dragged himself to his feet, where he stood swaying for a moment. "Ok'y, mebbe, more'n a quat'r."

Nuriko snorted and then laughed as Tasuki tried to walk towards him and ended up tripping on his own feet. "Don't hurt yourself, Gen-chan. I'll go get us some more sake."

"'Preciate it," he mumbled and took another swig from the bottle.

Laughing, Nuriko exited the room, only to return minutes later with two more enormous bottles of sake. Tasuki's eyes widened when he saw how much sake his friend had somehow gotten ahold of.

"Plann'in' on deat' by sake?" he asked, having sobered up a bit since Nuriko had left.

"Something like that," Nuriko evaded. "Come on, let's party!"

"Not gon' get n' argu'men' from'me," he agreed and splashed a little out of his bottle by way of a celebratory motion.

Nuriko sprawled down on the floor next to his friend and proceeded to drink himself into oblivion.

* * *

Nuriko woke to a searingly bright slant of light in his eyes. He groaned, then realized it was a mistake as his own rough voice aggrivated his raw throat and activated a dull throbbing behind his eyes. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, and felt as if it were made of cotton. He tried to roll over to avoid the light's evil brightness, trying to ignore the other symptoms that told him he was in for a hell of a hangover, when he realized he was being pinned by something. He rolled towards the something, and groggily realized it was a body. He tried to move away, but the someone wrapped their arm more tightly around his waist, murmuring something as he cuddled inwards. Nuriko cuddled in as well, enjoying the warmth and sense of affection he felt in the someone's embrace.

He lay there, half-asleep, and half-awake, trying to recall the events of the night before. He remembered standing in the pavilion as the storm began to brew, remembered throwing the flower petals into the wind and making his wish, remembered being scorned by Hotohori almost immediately afterwards. Then he remembered making his way to Tasuki's room where the two had gotten shit-faced together. _Wait... Tasuki?_

Nuriko opened his left eye experimentally, and saw that it was indeed Tasuki next to him. That seemed a relief to the Seishi; at least he hadn't fallen asleep half-naked with a stranger. _Wait... half-naked?_ Where were his clothes? Wracking his brain, Nuriko vaguely remembered doing a ridiculous strip-tease the night before. He cringed in remembrance and hoped that Tasuki's memory of the previous night was even fuzzier than his own.

_But... why is Tasuki's arm around me?_ Nuriko opened both of his eyes this time to find his face mere inches from Tasuki's own. The Seishi's bright orange locks were mussed from sleep and strands of it fell down from his forehead onto his closed eyes. His chest rose and fell gently as his breath went in and out of slightly parted lips. Nuriko froze. _He's... beautiful..._ Tasuki figited a little in his sleep, and pulled Nuriko even closer, burrowing his nose in the crook of the other man's neck.

Nuriko drew in breath quickly, then relaxed. _Oh, this is so nice... No! This is Tasuki I'm lying here with! It's not supposed to be like this... but... he's so warm... and I... agh! If he knew I was even thinking this he'd freak out. We were both drunk, it's completely okay. He doesn't know what he's doing, he's asleep! Oh shit, I have to get out of here before I start liking this too much..._

Nuriko eased away from his sleeping friend, quickly threw on his kimono and fled the room, letting the door shut gently behind him.

As soon as Tasuki heard the door close, he opened his eyes to stare desolately at the ceiling. _I was so close... If only..._ He shook his head in denial, then immediately regretted it as a thousand-man army began loudly marching inside his head. He let out a huff of aggravation, slamming a fist down into the mattress, then scrubbed his hands across his sleepy face. _He'll never love me. He's still in love with Hotohori, and that's not likely to change any time soon. I've got no chance..._ Disgusted with himself, he rolled over and lay prone, his face buried in a pillow as wet drops leaked from underneath his tightly shut eyelids.


End file.
